Value transfer card management system

ABSTRACT

A processor-implemented method is disclosed. The method includes: configuring a value transfer card to be associated with a plurality of accounts, the plurality of accounts including a default currency account and one or more foreign currency accounts; receiving input from an authorized entity associated with the plurality of accounts, the input indicating a selection of at least one of the foreign currency accounts and a card control setting to be applied for the value transfer card in connection with transactions associated with the selected at least one foreign currency account; and enabling the card control setting for the value transfer card only in connection with the selected at least one foreign currency account.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to value transfer cards and, moreparticularly, to systems and methods for processing transactions thatare initiated using value transfer cards.

BACKGROUND

Value transfer cards, such as credit cards, may be used by customers forvarious types of transactions. For example, a value transfer card mayenable the cardholder to make purchases at a point-of-sale (e.g. amerchant terminal) or access automatic teller machines (ATMs) foraccount-related transactions (e.g. deposits, money transfers, cashwithdrawals, etc.). Transactions using value transfer cards aretypically processed by computing systems that perform backend servicesrelating to authentication, account access and management, and datatransfer. It is desirable to configure such computing systems toautomatically detect and process a wide range of transactions that maybe initiated using value transfer cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are described in detail below, with reference to thefollowing drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operating environment ofan example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is high-level schematic diagram of a computing device;

FIG. 3 shows a simplified organization of software components stored ina memory of the computing device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows, in flowchart form, an example method for configuring avalue transfer card for multi-account support;

FIG. 5 shows, in flowchart form, an example method for processing atransaction that is initiated using a value transfer card;

FIG. 6 shows, in flowchart form, another example method for processing atransaction that is initiated using a value transfer card;

FIG. 7 shows, in flowchart form, another example method for processing atransaction that is initiated using a value transfer card; and

FIGS. 8A to 8C show display screens of an account management userinterface.

Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elementsand features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

In an aspect, a computing device is disclosed. The computing deviceincludes a processor, a communications module coupled to the processor,and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructionsthat, when executed, configure the processor to: configure a valuetransfer card to be associated with a plurality of accounts, theplurality of accounts including a default currency account and one ormore foreign currency accounts; receive input from an authorized entityassociated with the plurality of accounts, the input indicating aselection of at least one of the foreign currency accounts and a cardcontrol setting to be applied for the value transfer card in connectionwith transactions associated with the selected at least one foreigncurrency account; and enable the card control setting for the valuetransfer card only in connection with the selected at least one foreigncurrency account.

In some implementations, the input may include a request message forrequesting the card control setting to be applied to the selected atleast one foreign currency account.

In some implementations, the card control setting may include a creditlimit for the selected at least one foreign currency account, the creditlimit identifying a maximum total amount of value transfers that ispermitted from the selected at least one foreign currency account.

In some implementations, enabling the card control setting for the valuetransfer card may include restricting transactions using the valuetransfer card that are associated with the selected at least one foreigncurrency account based on the card control setting.

In some implementations, the input may indicate a selection of one ormore categories of transactions, and enabling the card control settingmay include enabling only those categories of transactions that areincluded in the selection for the selected at least one foreign currencyaccount.

In some implementations, the input may indicate a selection of one ormore geographic regions, and enabling the card control setting mayinclude enabling only those transactions that are associated withgeographic regions included in the selection for the selected at leastone foreign currency account.

In some implementations, the input may indicate a selection of one ormore types of value transfer channels, and enabling the card controlsetting may include enabling only those transactions that are conductedvia a value transfer channel included in the selection for the selectedat least one foreign currency account.

In some implementations, the input may indicate card-specificrestrictions for the value transfer card, and the instructions, whenexecuted, may configure the processor to enable the card control settingand the card-specific restrictions for the value transfer card.

In some implementations, the instructions, when executed, may configurethe processor to: detect a transaction associated with the selected atleast one foreign currency that is initiated using the value transfercard; determine that the transaction results in violation of the cardcontrol setting; and process the transaction using a first account thatis different from the selected at least one foreign currency account anda current exchange rate associated with the first account.

In some implementations, the input may indicate one or more predefinedrules for handling transactions that cannot be completed using theselected at least one foreign currency account.

In another aspect, a processor-implemented method is disclosed. Themethod includes: configuring a value transfer card to be associated witha plurality of accounts, the plurality of accounts including a defaultcurrency account and one or more foreign currency accounts; receivinginput from an authorized entity associated with the plurality ofaccounts, the input indicating a selection of at least one of theforeign currency accounts and a card control setting to be applied forthe value transfer card in connection with transactions associated withthe selected at least one foreign currency account; and enabling thecard control setting for the value transfer card only in connection withthe selected at least one foreign currency account.

Other aspects and features of the present application will be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the followingdescription of examples in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

In the present application, the term “and/or” is intended to cover allpossible combinations and sub-combinations of the listed elements,including any one of the listed elements alone, any sub-combination, orall of the elements, and without necessarily excluding additionalelements.

In the present application, the phrase “at least one of . . . or . . . ”is intended to cover any one or more of the listed elements, includingany one of the listed elements alone, any sub-combination, or all of theelements, without necessarily excluding any additional elements, andwithout necessarily requiring all of the elements.

In the present application, the term “issuer account” refers to anaccount, such as a banking account, that is associated with a valuetransfer card. An issuer account may, for example, store resources thatmay be transferred in a transaction initiated using a value transfercard. Examples of an issuer account include, but are not limited to, asavings account, a credit account, a checking account, and a virtualpayment account. An issuer account may be associated with a specificentity, such as an individual, a commercial entity, and the like. Aswill be explained in greater detail below, an issuer computing system,such as a server of a banking institution, that issues value transfercards may manage issuer accounts belonging to a plurality ofcardholders. For example, an issuer server may perform access control,account management, and transaction processing, among others, for aplurality of issuer accounts.

Example embodiments of the present application are not limited to anyparticular operating system, system architecture, mobile devicearchitecture, server architecture, or computer programming language.

Value transfer cards, such as payment cards, can be used for makingpurchases at a point-of-sale or to access ATMs for account-relatedtransactions. A value transfer card may be associated with an accountthat stores data and/or resources accessible to the cardholder. Forexample, a value transfer card may be associated with a primary accountfrom which resources may be drawn for transfers. In particular, anytransaction that is initiated using the value transfer card may accessthe resources of a single designated (e.g. default) account.

In certain contexts, configuring a value transfer card to be associatedwith a single account may be limiting. By way of example, a cardholdermay designate an account that is denominated in a first currency (or“home” currency) as the primary account associated with a value transfercard. Transactions using the value transfer card, such as transfers ordeposits of value, may default to the primary account. In particular,the transactions may be denominated in the first currency. When thecardholder engages in a foreign currency transaction (e.g. a purchasetransaction in a foreign country) using the value transfer card, thetransaction may be denominated in the first currency, with a currentforeign exchange rate being applied to determine the effect of thetransaction on the primary account. The cardholder often has noknowledge of the exchange rate until after the transaction is processed,which may reduce the desirability of engaging in foreign currencytransactions.

More generally, a value transfer card that is associated with only asingle account limits the control that the cardholder can exercise overtransactions using the value transfer card. For example, thetransactions may be constrained by the settings of the account (e.g.maximum limit on transfers), and the effects of the transactions on theaccount may be largely determined by parameters over which thecardholder has no control (e.g. interest rate, currency denomination,etc.).

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for configuringvalue transfer cards for multi-account support. More specifically, acomputing system for configuring a value transfer card to be associatedwith multiple currency accounts is described. The disclosed computingsystem may, in at least some embodiments, be a computing system that isassociated with an issuing entity of the value transfer card. Thecomputing system allows an authorized entity to indicate selections ofone or more foreign currency accounts of the cardholder and card controlsettings to be applied for the value transfer card in connection withtransactions that are associated with the selected foreign currencyaccounts. The computing system enables the card control settings for thevalue transfer card only in connection with the selected foreigncurrency accounts. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, a singlevalue transfer card may be used to access multiple currency accounts,and card controls may be selectively applied on a per-card and/orper-account basis.

The present disclosure also describes systems and methods forfacilitating transactions using value transfer cards. Such transactionsrequire processing operations, such as transaction request,authentication, and account data management, that are performed bybackend computing systems associated with the transaction entities. Thedisclosed methods allow for handling of transaction requests by thecomputing systems. In accordance with disclosed embodiments,transactions that are initiated using value transfer cards are processedby automatically employing card controls, which may be selectivelyapplied on a per-card and/or per-account basis. In particular,transactions using value transfer cards that can access multipleaccounts can be processed by applying, in real-time, suitable cardcontrols for the value transfer cards.

FIG. 1 is a schematic operation diagram illustrating an operatingenvironment of an example embodiment.

As illustrated, a transfer rail server 120 communicates with remotecomputing devices via a network 130. The remote computing devices maytake a variety of forms. For example, as illustrated, the transfer railserver 120 may communicate with one or more point-of-sale (POS)terminals 110 and/or one or more other computing devices such as, forexample, one or more transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b. Thetransfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b may be or include, for example,electronic commerce (i.e. e-commerce) systems. An e-commerce system maybe, for example, a server associated with an electronic commerce websitesuch as an online store that sells or facilitates the sale of goodsand/or services online. The transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 bmay, additionally or alternatively, include one or more computer systemsthat are not e-commerce servers. For example, the transfer initiationsystems 124 a, 124 b may be or include utility, subscription, ormembership computing systems. For example, the transfer initiationsystems may include computing devices associated with one or more of:telephone services, internet services, periodicals including magazinesand newspapers, club memberships such as fitness memberships, utilityservices including, for example, water services, gas services, hydroservices, etc.

The transfer rail server 120 may be a computing system that facilitateselectronic funds transfer and may, in at least some embodiments, bereferred to as a payment rail server. By way of example, the transferrail server 120 may be a Visa™, Mastercard™, or American Express™server. The transfer rail server 120 may be associated with a particularbrand of value transfer cards. More particularly, the transfer railserver 120 may facilitate payment processing for a particular brand ofvalue transfer card, such as a particular brand of credit and/or chargecard. By way of example, in some embodiments, the transfer rail server120 may only process Visa transactions. The transfer rail server 120 mayalso, in at least some embodiments, be referred to as a credit cardnetwork server.

The transfer rail server 120 communicates with a computing system, suchas an issuer computing system 100. The issuer computing system 100 maybe, for example, a computer system associated with a financialinstitution, such as a bank, that issued a credit and/or charge card.Put differently, the issuer computing system 100 is associated with avalue transfer card issuer. For example, the issuer computing system 100may be operated or managed by the value transfer card issuer.

A value transfer card may be or include a payment card (e.g. a creditcard, a charge card, etc.). The value transfer card may have certainassociated data. For example, the value transfer card may be associatedwith a primary account number (PAN), a verification number such as acredit card verification (CCV) number, and/or an expiry date. The valuetransfer card may be used by the point-of-sale terminal 110 or anothertransfer initiation system 124 a, 124 b for processing a transfer ofvalue from a cardholder to an entity associated with such systems.

In order to process a transfer of value using the value transfer card, aPOS terminal or other transfer initiation system 124 a, 124 b maycommunicate with the transfer rail server 120. For example, the transferinitiation system 124 a, 124 b may send, to the transfer rail server120, a transfer request. The transfer request may specify, for example,an amount of value associated with the request. The transfer request mayalso include or be associated with one or more credentials associatedwith a value transfer card. The credentials may include, for example,the PAN, expiry date, and/or verification number for the value transfercard. Other metadata may also be included in the transfer request suchas, for example, an entity identifier such as a merchant identifier,location information specifying a location at which the transferinitiation system 124 a, 124 b purports to be located, and/or otherinformation.

The credential may take other forms. For example, the credential mayinclude a token. A token may be a non-decryptable piece of data that isused to represent, by reference, value transfer card data. Tokens may beissued by a tokenization service, which may be included in the transferrail server 120 or may be a separate system. The tokenization serviceand/or the transfer rail server 120 stores a mapping of a token toassociated information such as, for example, value transfer card data.For example, the token may be mapped to one or more of an account numbersuch as a PAN, a date (e.g. expiry date), verification data (e.g. CCVnumber), and/or a token holder. The token holder may identify an entitythat the token was issued to and/or is associated with. The entity may,for example, be the transfer rail server 120. For example, the transferrail server 120 may permit one or more third party systems (e.g. thetransfer initiation system 124 a, 124 b) to obtain and store a token fora particular value transfer card. The token is a representation of thevalue transfer card and may be stored by the transfer initiation system124 a, 124 b for future use in issuing value transfer requests. Thetoken may be unique to the entity to which it is issued. That is,different entities that receive tokens for the same value transfer cardmay receive different tokens, and the transfer rail server 120 and/orthe tokenization service may track which entity received which token sothat an entity that issued a value transfer request that includes atoken may be identified.

After the transfer rail server 120 receives a value transfer request, itmay communicate with an issuer computing system 100 to request approvalof the value transfer request. The request for approval may include, forexample, information included in or obtained from the value transferrequest, such as the amount of the value transfer request. The requestfor approval may include information determined based on the token. Forexample, the PAN may be included in the request. The transfer railserver 120 receives a response to the request for approval (e.g., eitheran indication of approval or an indication of denial) and sends acorresponding message to the transfer initiation system 124 a, 124 b.

Accordingly, a transfer initiation system 124 a, 124 b may use acredential associated with a value transfer card in order to initiate atransfer. In some instances, the transfer initiation system 124 a, 124 bmay store the credential for future use. For example, the value transferinitiation system 124 a, 124 b may store a representation of a valuetransfer card in a memory associated with the value transfer initiationsystem 124 a, 124 b. The representation of the value transfer card mayeither be a “card-on-file” representation of the value transfer card ora tokenized representation of the value transfer card. In thecard-on-file representation, the value transfer initiation system 124 a,124 b stores the PAN, expiry date and, in some instances, theverification information associated with the value transfer card. In thetokenized representation, the value transfer initiation system 124 a,124 b stores a token of the type referred to above.

As card holders use their value transfer card with various third-partyentities, representations of the value transfer card may be stored atnumerous locations. While two transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 bare illustrated in FIG. 1, the number of transfer initiation systems 124a, 124 b having a stored representation of the value transfer card maybe much greater.

The issuer computing system 100 may communicate with a client device 150via the network 130 in order to allow the client device 150 to be usedin managing a value transfer card. More specifically, the issuercomputing system 100 and the client device 150 may cooperate to providea card management user interface on an output device, such as a display,of the client device 150. A user may interact with the card managementuser interface in order to input instructions to the client device 150.At least some such instructions may cause the client device 150 to senda management request or command to the issuer computing system 100.

The management request or command may take various forms. For example,in some instances, the management request or command may be aninstruction to apply one or more card control settings to selectedaccounts. The card control settings for a value transfer card arecontrols (or restrictions) that are imposed on transactions which may beinitiated using the value transfer card. The card controls may beapplied in real-time on a per-account and/or per-card basis whenprocessing transaction requests associated with the value transfer card.

Other management features and functions may also be provided by themanagement user interface.

The client device 150 may also include a stored representation of thevalue transfer card. For example, a token may be stored in secure memoryof the client device 150 to allow the client device 150 to be used ininitiating a transaction, such as a transfer of value. For example, theclient device may include a near field communication (NFC) subsystemwhich may be used to send a token to the POS terminal 110 in order toinitiate or complete a transaction.

The issuer computing system 100, client device 150, transfer initiationsystems 124 a, 124 b, and the transfer rail server 120 may be ingeographically disparate locations. Put differently, each of the issuercomputing system 100, point-of-sale terminal 110, client device 150,transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b, and the transfer rail server120 may be remote from others of the issuer computing system 100, clientdevice 150, transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b, and the transferrail server 120.

The issuer computing system 100, point-of-sale terminal 110, clientdevice 150, transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b, and the transferrail server 120 may each be both a computer system and a computingdevice.

The network 130 is a computer network. In some embodiments, the network130 may be an internetwork such as may be formed of one or moreinterconnected computer networks. For example, the network 130 may be ormay include an Ethernet network, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)network, a wireless network, or the like. Additionally, oralternatively, the network 130 may be or may include one or more paymentnetworks. The network 130 may, in some embodiments, include a pluralityof distinct networks. For example, communications between certain of thecomputer systems may be over a private network whereas communicationsbetween other of the computer systems may be over a public network, suchas the Internet.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a high-level operation diagram of an examplecomputing device 200 will now be described. The example computing device200 may be exemplary of the issuer computing system 100, point-of-saleterminal 110, client device 150, transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124b, and/or the transfer rail server 120.

The example computing device 200 includes numerous different modules.For example, as illustrated, the example computing device 200 mayinclude a processor 210, a memory 220, a communications module 230,and/or a storage module 240. As illustrated, the foregoing examplemodules of the example computing device 200 are in communication over abus 250.

The processor 210 is a hardware processor. The processor 210 may, forexample, be one or more ARM, Intel x86, PowerPC processors or the like.

The memory 220 allows data to be stored and retrieved. The memory 220may include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, andpersistent storage. Persistent storage may be, for example, flashmemory, a solid-state drive or the like. Read-only memory and persistentstorage are a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Acomputer-readable medium may be organized using a file system such asmay be administered by an operating system governing overall operationof the example computing device 200.

The communications module 230 allows the example computing device 200 tocommunicate with other computing devices and/or various communicationsnetworks. For example, the communications module 230 may allow theexample computing device 200 to send or receive communications signals.Communications signals may be sent or received according to one or moreprotocols or according to one or more standards. For example, thecommunications module 230 may allow the example computing device 200 tocommunicate via a cellular data network, such as for example, accordingto one or more standards such as, for example, Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), EvolutionData Optimized (EVDO), Long-term Evolution (LTE) or the like.Additionally, or alternatively, the communications module 230 may allowthe example computing device 200 to communicate using near-fieldcommunication (NFC), via WiFi™, using Bluetooth™, or via somecombination of one or more networks or protocols. In some embodiments,all or a portion of the communications module 230 may be integrated intoa component of the example computing device 200. For example, thecommunications module may be integrated into a communications chipset.

The storage module 240 allows the example computing device 200 to storeand retrieve data. In some embodiments, the storage module 240 may beformed as a part of the memory 220 and/or may be used to access all or aportion of the memory 220. Additionally, or alternatively, the storagemodule 240 may be used to store and retrieve data from persisted storageother than the persisted storage (if any) accessible via the memory 220.In some embodiments, the storage module 240 may be used to store andretrieve data in a database. A database may be stored in persistedstorage. Additionally, or alternatively, the storage module 240 mayaccess data stored remotely such as, for example, as may be accessedusing a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), personal areanetwork (PAN), and/or a storage area network (SAN). In some embodiments,the storage module 240 may access data stored remotely using thecommunications module 230. In some embodiments, the storage module 240may be omitted and its function may be performed by the memory 220and/or by the processor 210 in concert with the communications module230 such as, for example, if data is stored remotely. The storage modulemay also be referred to as a data store.

Software comprising instructions is executed by the processor 210 from acomputer-readable medium. For example, software may be loaded intorandom-access memory from persistent storage of the memory 220.Additionally, or alternatively, instructions may be executed by theprocessor 210 directly from read-only memory of the memory 220.

The computing device 200 will include other components apart from thoseillustrated in FIG. 2 and the specific component set may differ based onwhether the computing device 200 is operating as the issuer computingsystem 100, point-of-sale terminal 110, client device 150, transferinitiation systems 124 a, 124 b, and the transfer rail server 120. Forexample, the computing device 200 may include one or more input modules,which may be in communication with the processor 210 (e.g., over the bus250). The input modules may take various forms including, for example, amouse, a microphone, a camera, a touchscreen overlay, a button, asensor, etc. By way of further example, the computing devices 200 mayinclude one or more output modules, which may be in communication withthe processor 210 (e.g., over the bus 250). The output modules includeone or more display modules which may be of various types including, forexample, liquid crystal displays (LCD), light emitting diode displays(LED), cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, etc. By way of further example,the output modules may include a speaker.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified organization of software components storedin the memory 220 of the example computing device 200 (FIG. 2). Asillustrated, these software components include an operating system 300and an application software 310.

The operating system 300 is software. The operating system 300 allowsthe application software 310 to access the processor 210 (FIG. 2), thememory 220, and the communications module 230 of the example computingdevice 200 (FIG. 2). The operating system 300 may be, for example,Google™ Android™, Apple™ iOS™, UNIX™, Linux™, Microsoft™ Windows™, AppleOSX™ or the like.

The application software 310 adapts the example computing device 200, incombination with the operating system 300, to operate as a deviceperforming a particular function. For example, the application software310 may cooperate with the operating system 300 to adapt a suitableembodiment of the example computing device 200 to operate as the issuercomputing system 100, point-of-sale terminal 110, client device 150,transfer initiation systems 124 a, 124 b, or the transfer rail server120.

While a single application software 310 is illustrated in FIG. 3, inoperation the memory 220 may include more than one application software310 and different application software 310 may perform differentoperations.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which shows, in flowchart form, anexample method 400 for configuring a value transfer card formulti-account support. More particularly, the method 400 may beimplemented to configure a value transfer card to be linked withmultiple currency accounts and to manage use of the value transfer cardin association with the multiple currency accounts.

Operations starting with operation 402 and continuing onward areperformed by the processor 210 (FIG. 2) of a computing device 200executing software comprising instructions such as may be stored in thememory 220 of the computing device 200. For example, the operations ofthe method 400 may be performed by the issuer computing system 100. Moreparticularly, processor-executable instructions may, when executed,configure a processor 210 of the issuer computing system 100 to performthe method 400.

A value transfer card may be linked to multiple different currencyaccounts. In some embodiments, the accounts may be owned by a singleentity, i.e. the cardholder. The cardholder may set up multiple bankingaccounts (for example, with a financial institution), with each accountholding funds that are denominated in different currencies, including atleast a default currency and one or more foreign currencies. In otherembodiments, the currency accounts may be owned by multiple differententities. The cardholder may obtain authorization from the multipleowners to connect the value transfer card to the currency accounts andthereby gain access to the resources of the accounts. That is, a valuetransfer card may be used to access resources of accounts that are ownedby different entities.

The cardholder (or another authorized entity) may use a card managementuser interface, which may be accessed via a client device, to connect avalue transfer card with multiple currency accounts. The card managementuser interface may be provided to the client device by the issuercomputing system. The issuer computing system may, for example, provideuser interface data to the client device. The user interface dataincludes data for configuring the client device to display or otherwiseoutput a user interface, which may be referred to as a card managementuser interface. As will be described in greater detail below withreference to FIGS. 8A-8C, a card management user interface may includeselectable options to connect additional currency accounts with a valuetransfer card, and to indicate per-account card controls for one or moreselected currency accounts.

In operation 402, the issuer computing system configures the valuetransfer card to be associated with multiple currency accounts. Inparticular, select ones of the currency accounts that are accessible tothe cardholder are associated with the value transfer card, such thattransactions using the value transfer card may access the resources ofthe selected currency accounts. As explained above, the currencyaccounts may be owned by a single entity or multiple different entities.In some embodiments, the issuer computing system may verify that thecardholder has authorization to access the resources of all of theaccounts that are selected for connecting to the value transfer card.That is, before configuring the value transfer card to be associatedwith the selected accounts, the issuer computing system may perform acheck to ensure that the cardholder has the requisite permissions forconnecting the value transfer card to each of the selected accounts. Insome cases, such verification may only be conducted if the cardholder isnot the owner of all of the currency accounts that are selected forconnecting to the value transfer card.

In operation 404, the issuer computing system receives input from anauthorized entity associated with the multiple currency accounts. Theauthorized entity may, for example, be an account owner (or managingentity, etc.) for one or more of the currency accounts. In at least someembodiments, the issuer computing system may request authenticationinformation in order to verify that the input is indeed received from anauthorized entity associated with the currency accounts. For example,prior to accepting any input of operation 404, the issuer computingsystem may prompt for login credentials to verify the identity of theinputting entity. The prompt may be presented, for example, in the cardmanagement user interface. The input may be accepted upon successfulauthentication of the inputting entity.

The input indicates a selection of at least one of the foreign currencyaccounts and one or more card control settings to be applied for thevalue transfer card in connection with transactions that are associatedwith the selected foreign currency accounts. In particular, the inputincludes a definition of one or more card control settings for theselected accounts. In some embodiments, the input may be or include arequest message for requesting the card control settings to be appliedto the selected at least one foreign currency account. For example, theauthorized entity may wish to impose certain card controls for the valuetransfer card in association with one or more of the currency accounts.

In some embodiments, the card control settings may include a creditlimit for the selected foreign currency account. The credit limit mayindicate a maximum total amount of value transfers that is permittedfrom the selected account. The credit limit may, in some cases, beindicated on a per-transaction or per-time period (e.g. daily limit,weekly limit, etc.) basis. Additionally, or alternatively, the cardcontrol settings may include a debit limit, indicating a limit on debittransactions using the value transfer card. Similar to the credit limit,the debit limit may, in some cases, be indicated on a per-transaction orper-time period basis.

In operation 406, the issuer computing system enables the selected cardcontrol settings for the value transfer card in connection with theselected at least one foreign currency account. In particular, theselected card control settings are enabled only for the correspondingforeign currency account identified in the input of operation 404. Theselected card control settings are not enabled for any account otherthan the corresponding foreign currency account. In the case where theinput indicates selection of multiple different foreign currencyaccounts and card control settings associated with the respectiveaccounts, the issuer computing system may enable card control settingsfor all or a subset of the selected foreign currency accounts. Forexample, the issuer computing system may determine whether enabling thecard control settings for all of the foreign currency accounts willresult in an unexpected or undesired outcome, such as an account statefor the selected currency accounts that is in violation of one or morepredetermined rules or policies for currency accounts.

The issuer computing system may enable a card control setting for thevalue transfer card by restricting transactions using the value transfercard that are associated with a selected foreign currency account basedon the card control setting. In other words, the issuer computing systemis configured to enforce constraints on transactions using the valuetransfer card based on the card control settings. In at least someembodiments, the card control settings may be stored in a memory that isassociated with the issuer computing system. When the issuer computingsystem receives a request to process a transaction using the valuetransfer card, the issuer computing system determines the account (e.g.foreign currency account) that is selected for the transaction. Theissuer computing system retrieves the card control settings data for theselected account and enforces one or more of the constraints stipulatedby the card control settings. For example, the issuer computing systemmay render a decision to approve or decline the transaction based on thecard control settings, and communicate the decision to the othercomputing systems associated with transacting entities, such as thecustomer and merchant.

In some embodiments, the input of operation 404 may indicate a selectionof one or more categories of transactions. For example, an authorizedentity may select a foreign currency account and specify certaincategories of transactions using the value transfer card that arepermitted (or not permitted) for the selected account. The issuercomputing system may enable card control settings for selected foreigncurrency accounts by enabling only those categories of transactions thatare identified in the input of operation 404. That is, the issuercomputing system may approve (or process, etc.) only the transactionsfor a selected foreign currency account that fall into the identifiedcategories of transactions. For example, the input of operation 404 mayindicate certain categories of transactions (e.g. ATM transactions, POSpurchases, online transactions, etc.) that are approved for a particularforeign currency account linked to a value transfer card. Thecategories, or types, of transactions may be indicated at varying levelsof granularity. For example, the input of operation 404 may indicatevarious transaction properties, such as merchant type, product orservice category, etc. Transactions using the value transfer card thatdo not fall into any of the identified categories/types may beautomatically declined, or otherwise handled differently.

In some embodiments, the input of operation 404 may indicate a selectionof one or more geographic regions. For example, an authorized entity mayselect a foreign currency account and specify certain geographic regionsin which transactions using the value transfer card are permitted (ornot permitted) for the selected account. The issuer computing system mayenable card control settings for the selected foreign currency accountsby enabling only those transactions that are associated with thegeographic regions identified in the input of operation 404. Inparticular, use of a value transfer card for transactions may berestricted to certain geographic regions that are specified by theauthorized entity.

In some embodiments, the input of operation 404 may indicate a selectionof one or more types of value transfer channels. For example, anauthorized entity may select a foreign currency account and specifycertain channels of transactions (e.g. mobile wallets, card-on-file,card-present, etc.) that are permitted for the selected account. Theissuer computing system may enable card control settings for theselected foreign currency accounts by enabling only those transactionsthat are conducted via one of the value transfer channels indicated inthe input of operation 404.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which shows, in flowchart form, anexample method 500 for facilitating a transaction that is initiatedusing a value transfer card. Operations starting with operation 502 andcontinuing onward are performed by the processor 210 (FIG. 2) of acomputing device 200 executing software comprising instructions such asmay be stored in the memory 220 of the computing device 200. Forexample, the operations of the method 500 may be performed by the issuercomputing system 100. More particularly, processor-executableinstructions may, when executed, configure a processor 210 of the issuercomputing system 100 to perform the method 500. The operations of method500 may be performed in addition to, or as alternatives, to one or moreof the operations of method 400.

In operation 502, the issuer computing system receives a request toassociate a first foreign currency account with a value transfer card.The request may be received via a client device associated with anauthorized entity for the first foreign currency account (e.g. accountowner, or managing entity), or an entity that is otherwise authorized toaccess the resources of the first foreign currency account. For example,if the cardholder obtains express authorization to access resources ofthe first foreign currency account, the cardholder may transmit, viatheir client device, a request for the issuer computing system toassociate the first foreign currency account with the value transfercard. The request may, in some embodiments, be transmitted via userinput in a card management user interface that can be displayed on theclient device. For example, the request may include a selection of thefirst foreign currency account (or identifying information for the firstforeign currency account, such as its PAN) and an instruction to add theaccount to a set of accounts that are already connected to the valuetransfer card.

In operation 504, the issuer computing system stores an association ofthe value transfer card with the first foreign currency account. In someembodiments, the issuer computing system may add the first foreigncurrency account to a stored list of accounts that are connected to thevalue transfer card. More generally, connected accounts data for thevalue transfer card may indicate the accounts that are linked to thevalue transfer card. The connected accounts data may be stored in amemory associated with the issuer computing system. The issuer computingsystem may thus add information (e.g. identifying information) for thefirst foreign currency account to the connected accounts data for thevalue transfer card. In this way, the first foreign currency account isdesignated as one of the accounts that can be accessed for transactionsusing the value transfer card.

In operation 506, the issuer computing system receives an indication ofone or more card control settings for the first foreign currencyaccount. The card control settings may be specified by an authorizedentity associated with the first foreign currency account, such as theaccount owner or a manager entity. In some embodiments, an authorizedentity may input the card control settings via a card management userinterface on their client device. The card control settings may besimilar to the settings that are described above with reference tomethod 400. For example, the card control settings may include creditlimits, restrictions on types, geographic locations, and channels oftransactions, etc.

In operation 508, the issuer computing system detects a transactioninitiated using the value transfer card. The transaction may, forexample, be an ATM transaction (e.g. cash withdrawal, check deposit,etc.) or a purchase at a POS. The issuer computing system determines, inoperation 510, that the transaction is associated with the first foreigncurrency account. In at least some embodiments, the issuer computingsystem receives a request to process the transaction. The request mayindicate, for example, an identifier of an account to be used for thetransaction, credentials for authenticating to the account, and atransaction amount. Based on the account identifying informationincluded in the request, the issuer computing system may determine thatthe transaction is to be processed using the first foreign currencyaccount.

In operation 512, the issuer computing system applies the one or morecard control settings for the first foreign currency account to thetransaction. In particular, the issuer computing system may enforce cardcontrols (e.g. restrictions) that are stipulated for the first foreigncurrency account. The transaction, which uses the first foreign currencyaccount, may be constrained by the one or more card controls. By way ofexample, if the card control settings specify certain credit or debitlimits for the first foreign currency account, the transaction may beconstrained by such limits (e.g. the transaction amount cannot exceedthe relevant credit/debit limits). By applying the card controls, theissuer computing system may determine whether the transaction using thevalue transfer card should be approved or declined (or otherwise handleddifferently).

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which shows, in flowchart form, anotherexample method 600 for facilitating a transaction that is initiatedusing a value transfer card. Operations starting with operation 602 andcontinuing onward are performed by the processor 210 (FIG. 2) of acomputing device 200 executing software comprising instructions such asmay be stored in the memory 220 of the computing device 200. Forexample, the operations of the method 600 may be performed by the issuercomputing system 100. More particularly, processor-executableinstructions may, when executed, configure a processor 210 of the issuercomputing system 100 to perform the method 600. The operations of method600 may be performed in addition to, or as alternatives, to one or moreof the operations of methods 400 and 500.

In operation 602, the issuer computing system detects a foreign currencytransaction initiated using a value transfer card. For example, theissuer computing system may receive a request to process a transactionin which a transaction amount is denominated in a foreign currency. Thetransaction may, for example, be a purchase at a merchant's POS. Therequest may be received from a transfer rail server associated with avalue transfer card that is used for the transaction, or directly froman acquiring server associated with the merchant for the transaction.The issuer computing system may be requested to verify issuer accountdata for the transaction, and to render and provide an approval decisionfor the transaction.

In operation 604, the issuer computing system determines whether thevalue transfer card is authorized for accessing a first foreign currencyaccount, where the first foreign currency account corresponds to thecurrency of the transaction. The issuer computing system may first checkif the value transfer card is connected to the first foreign currencyaccount. If the value transfer card is so connected, the issuercomputing system verifies that the user of the card is authorized foraccessing the first foreign currency account. For example, the issuercomputing system may cause a prompt for authentication credentials to bepresented to the card user, and perform the verification based on theinputted credentials.

If the value transfer card is not connected to the first foreigncurrency account or the card user is not authorized for accessing saidaccount, the issuer computing system may reject the transaction orprocess the transaction using a current exchange rate, in operation 606.On the other hand, if the value transfer card is so authorized, theissuer computing system processes the transaction using the firstforeign currency account, in operation 608.

In operation 610, the issuer computing system determines whether thereare any card-specific control settings. In some embodiments, multiplevalue transfer cards may be associated with a single foreign currencyaccount. For example, an entity (such as a business, etc.) may own asingle foreign currency account and may provide company cards tomultiple employees of the entity. The entity may specify certaincard-specific control settings in addition to card control settings thatare associated with the foreign currency account. That is, in additionto controls that are imposed generally on transactions that use aforeign currency account, card-specific controls may be defined.

The card-specific controls for one or more value transfer cards may beinputted by an authorized entity associated with the first foreigncurrency account. The authorized entity may be the account owner/manageror card distributing entity. For example, a company that distributes alimited number of company-funded payment cards may set the card-specificcontrols, so that the use of those payment cards can be managed. Thecard-specific controls may, for example, include fixed limits on howmuch funds in a given foreign currency account a particular card ispermitted to access. In this way, the authorized entity associated withthe foreign currency account can place restrictions on individuals' usesof the value transfer cards for transactions that access the account.The issuer computing system may store the defined card-specific controlsin a memory; in particular, value transfer card data, includingcard-identifying information, may be stored in association withcorresponding card-specific control settings in the memory.

If there are card-specific control settings for the value transfer card,the issuer computing system applies the card control settings, inoperation 612. Otherwise, the issuer computing system generates anotification indicating whether the transaction is approved or declined.The notification can be transmitted to computing devices associated withthe merchant and/or the card user, for example, via a payment railserver.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7, which shows, in flowchart form, anotherexample method 700 for facilitating a transaction that is initiatedusing a value transfer card. Operations starting with operation 702 andcontinuing onward are performed by the processor 210 (FIG. 2) of acomputing device 200 executing software comprising instructions such asmay be stored in the memory 220 of the computing device 200. Forexample, the operations of the method 700 may be performed by the issuercomputing system 100. More particularly, processor-executableinstructions may, when executed, configure a processor 210 of the issuercomputing system 100 to perform the method 700. The operations of method700 may be performed in addition to, or as alternatives, to one or moreof the operations of methods 400, 500 and 600.

In operation 702, the issuer computing system detects a foreign currencytransaction in a first foreign currency that is initiated using a valuetransfer card. As described above with reference to method 600, theissuer computing system may receive a transaction processing request toverify issuer account data, and to render and provide an approvaldecision for the transaction.

In operation 704, the issuer computing system obtains transaction dataassociated with the foreign currency transaction. In at least someembodiments, the transaction data is included in the transactionprocessing request received by the issuer computing system. Thetransaction data may indicate, for the transaction, informationincluding, but not limited to: card identifier for the value transfercard, identifier for the issuer account, type of transaction,transaction amount, value transfer channel for the transaction,merchant/acquiring server associated with the merchant, and geographiclocation of the transaction.

In operation 706, the issuer computing system identifies accessrestrictions associated with the first foreign currency account. Theaccess restrictions may include, for example, card control settings fortransactions using the value transfer card that request to access thefirst foreign currency account. The access restrictions may also includecard-specific controls that are specific to the value transfer card andits use in accessing the first foreign currency account.

The issuer computing system performs a check to determine whether eachaccess restriction associated with the first foreign currency account issatisfied by the transaction and its properties (i.e., transactiondata), in operation 708. If it is determined that the transaction datasatisfy the access restrictions, the issuer computing system processesthe transaction using the first foreign currency account, in operation712. That is, the issuer computing system grants access to the firstforeign currency account for the transaction using the value transfercard. In at least some embodiments, the issuer computing systemgenerates a transaction approval message and transmits the message tothe merchant and/or card user for the transaction. The message may betransmitted, for example, via a payment rail server that processes thetransaction request.

Otherwise, if the transaction data do not satisfy the accessrestrictions (i.e. the transaction violates at least one of the accessrestrictions), the issuer computer system rejects the transaction orprocesses the transaction using a current exchange rate, in operation710. If the transaction is rejected/declined, a message indicating therejection decision may be transmitted to the merchant and/or card user,and processing of the transaction may be terminated. Alternatively, thetransaction may be processed using a designated default account, such asa primary account belonging to the cardholder. The issuer computingsystem may obtain the current foreign exchange rate between the firstforeign currency and the currency for the designated account, i.e. thecurrency in which the funds of the primary account are denominated. Forexample, the issuer computing system may query, in real-time, a databasecontaining foreign exchange rate data to determine the relevant rate forthe transaction. The transaction is processed using the current foreignexchange rate, and a transaction approval decision is rendered andprovided to the merchant and/or cardholder.

More generally, an authorized entity for a foreign currency account mayprovide, to the issuer computing system, one or more predefined rulesfor handling transactions that cannot be completed using the foreigncurrency account. An account owner (or the like) of a foreign currencyaccount may designate a default account for handling transactions thatcannot be completed using the foreign currency account, and otherassociated rules for such transactions. For example, if the foreigncurrency account does not have sufficient funds for a requestedtransaction in that currency, rules may indicate how the transactionshould be processed using a different (e.g. default) account. Theauthorized entity may also specify those of the access restrictionswhich must be satisfied in order for transactions to be permitted to usethe foreign currency account, as well as those access restrictions whichmay be optional to check, for at least certain types of transactions.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 8A to 8C, which illustrate exampledisplay screens 800 a, 800 b, and 800 c, respectively, of a cardmanagement user interface. The card management user interface may bedisplayed on a client device 150 (FIG. 1).

As shown in screen 800A, the card management user interface may allowthe user to add foreign currency accounts to the user's record (e.g.banking record). The foreign currency accounts each hold funds that aredenominated in their respective currencies. Account details, such as acurrent balance and exchange rate, for each of the foreign currencyaccounts 801 to 804 can be displayed on a single display page. Thescreen 800A also provides a user interface element 806 for adding morecurrency accounts.

Selection of the “Preferences” item in screen 800B may lead to thescreen 800B, which allows the user to enable or disable multi-cardsupport for a particular value transfer card. The user interface element810 can be toggled to enable or disable the multi-card support. The usermay also be enabled to select the channels of transactions (e.g.“online”, “in-store”, “ATM”) that are permitted to access the foreigncurrency accounts.

A further user interface element 812 leads to the screen 800C fordefining card control settings. In the example of FIG. 8C, the cardcontrols are in the form of spending limits (e.g. credit or debitlimits) on the respective foreign currency accounts. The user interfaceelements 812-824 can be toggled independently to enable or disable therespective card controls.

It will be understood that the applications, modules, routines,processes, threads, or other software components implementing thedescribed method/process may be realized using standard computerprogramming techniques and languages. The present application is notlimited to particular processors, computer languages, computerprogramming conventions, data structures, or other such implementationdetails. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the describedprocesses may be implemented as a part of computer-executable codestored in volatile or non-volatile memory, as part of anapplication-specific integrated chip (ASIC), etc.

As noted, certain adaptations and modifications of the describedembodiments can be made. Therefore, the above discussed embodiments areconsidered to be illustrative and not restrictive.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computing device, comprising: aprocessor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storinginstructions that, when executed, configure the processor to: configurea value transfer card to be associated with a default currency accountand one or more foreign currency accounts; receive input from anauthorized entity associated with the default currency account and theone or more foreign currency accounts, wherein the input indicates aselection of at least one of the one or more foreign currency accountsand a card control setting to be applied for the value transfer card inconnection with transactions associated with the selected at least oneforeign currency account; detect a first transaction initiated using thevalue transfer card at an automatic teller machine (ATM) or apoint-of-sale (POS), wherein the detecting includes receiving a requestto process the first transaction in a first currency associated with theselected at least one foreign currency account; determine, in real-time,that the first transaction results in violation of the card controlsetting for the value transfer card based on determining thattransaction data of the first transaction do not satisfy account accessrestrictions associated with the selected at least one foreign currencyaccount; and in response to determining that the first transactionresults in violation of the card control setting for the value transfercard: query, in real-time, a database comprising current exchange ratesand obtain a current exchange rate between the first currency associatedwith the selected at least one foreign currency account and a currencyassociated with the default currency account; and process the firsttransaction using the default currency account and the current exchangerate.
 2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the input comprises arequest message for requesting the card control setting to be applied tothe selected at least one foreign currency account.
 3. The computingdevice of claim 1, wherein the card control setting comprises a creditlimit for the selected at least one foreign currency account, the creditlimit identifying a maximum total amount of value transfers that ispermitted from the selected at least one foreign currency account. 4.The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining that the firsttransaction results in violation of the card control setting comprisesdetermining restrictions on transactions using the value transfer cardthat are associated with the selected at least one foreign currencyaccount.
 5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the input indicatesa selection of one or more permitted categories of transactions for theselected at least one foreign currency account, and wherein determiningthat the first transaction results in violation of the card controlsetting comprises determining whether a category of the firsttransaction is included in the selection of one or more categories. 6.The computing device of claim 1, wherein the input indicates a selectionof one or more geographic regions for the selected at least one foreigncurrency account, and wherein determining that the first transactionresults in violation of the card control setting comprises determiningwhether the first transaction is associated with a geographic regionthat is included in the selection of one or more geographic regions. 7.The computing device of claim 1, wherein the input indicates a selectionof one or more types of value transfer channels for the selected atleast one foreign currency account, and wherein determining that thefirst transaction results in violation of the card controlsetting-comprises determining whether the first transaction is conductedvia a value transfer channel that is included in the selection of one ormore types of value transfer channels.
 8. The computing device of claim1, wherein the input indicates card-specific restrictions for the valuetransfer card, and wherein the instructions, when executed, configurethe processor to enable the card control setting and the card-specificrestrictions for the value transfer card.
 9. The computing device ofclaim 1, wherein the input indicates one or more predefined rules forhandling transactions that cannot be completed using the selected atleast one foreign currency account.
 10. A processor-implemented method,comprising: configuring, by a processor, a value transfer card to beassociated with a default currency account and one or more foreigncurrency accounts; receiving, by the processor, input from an authorizedentity associated with the default currency account and the one or moreforeign currency accounts, wherein the input indicates a selection of atleast one of the one or more foreign currency accounts and a cardcontrol setting to be applied for the value transfer card in connectionwith transactions associated with the selected at least one foreigncurrency account; detecting, by the processor, a first transactioninitiated using the value transfer card at an automatic teller machine(ATM) or a point-of-sale (POS), wherein the detecting includes receivinga request to process the first transaction in a first currencyassociated with the selected at least one foreign currency account;determining, by the processor in real-time, that the first transactionresults in violation of the card control setting for the value transfercard based on determining that transaction data of the first transactiondo not satisfy account access restrictions associated with the selectedat least one foreign currency account; and in response to determiningthat the first transaction results in violation of the card controlsetting for the value transfer card: querying, in real-time, a databasecomprising current exchange rates and obtain a current exchange ratebetween the first currency associated with the selected at least oneforeign currency account and a currency associated with the defaultcurrency account; and processing the first transaction using the defaultcurrency account and the current exchange rate.
 11. Theprocessor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the input comprises arequest message for requesting the card control setting to be applied tothe selected at least one foreign currency account.
 12. Theprocessor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the card controlsetting comprises a credit limit for the selected at least one foreigncurrency account, the credit limit identifying a maximum total amount ofvalue transfers that is permitted from the selected at least one foreigncurrency account.
 13. The processor-implemented method of claim 10,wherein determining that the first transaction results in violation ofthe card control setting comprises determining restrictions ontransactions using the value transfer card that are associated with theselected at least one foreign currency account.
 14. Theprocessor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the input indicates aselection of one or more permitted categories of transactions for theselected at least one foreign currency account, and wherein determiningthat the first transaction results in violation of the card controlsetting comprises determining whether a category of the firsttransaction is included in the selection of one or more categories. 15.The processor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the inputindicates a selection of one or more geographic regions for the selectedat least one foreign currency account, and wherein determining that thefirst transaction results in violation of the card control settingcomprises determining whether the first transaction is associated with ageographic region that is included in the selection of one or moregeographic regions.
 16. The processor-implemented method of claim 10,wherein the input indicates a selection of one or more types of valuetransfer channels for the selected at least one foreign currencyaccount, and wherein determining that the first transaction results inviolation of the card control setting comprises determining whether thefirst transaction is conducted via a value transfer channel that isincluded in the selection of one or more types of value transferchannels.
 17. The processor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein theinput indicates card-specific restrictions for the value transfer card,and wherein the method further comprises enabling the card controlsetting and the card-specific restrictions for the value transfer card.18. The processor-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the inputindicates one or more predefined rules for handling transactions thatcannot be completed using the selected at least one foreign currencyaccount.